Today, music psychology is a basis for the study and research of perceiving, remembering, creating, interpreting and expressing music in general, together with individual and social variables such as age, gender and social conditions. Because music is an art that best expresses various reactions of the soul. Because of this feature, people are more affected by music than other branches of art; It is a natural connection between Psychology and Music, which examines mental behaviors.
The main goal of our University's Music Therapy Application and Research Center (MÜTEM) is to be an "inter-disciplinary learning and research-development center" in Turkey, which enables the field of Music Therapy to be learned with efficient methods. Individuals requiring special education; To develop basic self-care skills, independent living skills and to ensure the adaptation of patients with mental, physical, speech and language development difficulties, sensory, visual, social, emotional or behavioral problems to society. As an institution that continuously improves itself in this field, MUSTEM provides a modern multi-disciplinary learning environment for students and researchers in the fields of Psychology and Psychiatry, as well as an effective ground for practice and publication activities.
The World Federation of Music Therapy defines music therapy as "the use of music and/or musical elements (sound, rhythm, melody and harmony) by a trained music therapist to develop and enhance communication, relationship, learning, expression, mobilization, organization and other related therapeutic elements needed by a person or group to meet their physical, emotional, social and cognitive needs".
The research methods applied at the center include classical observations, questionnaires and experiments, as well as the analysis of various brain imaging techniques such as tomography, magnetic resonance and Doppler sonography. The data obtained helps us understand the processes through which music is processed in the brain.
Our center aims to provide occupational therapy by offering people the opportunity to participate in activities such as music and various fields of art (marbling, painting, group music, choir, instrumental music) in order to stay away from the negative emotions they are experiencing. How music is processed in the brain and what psychological, physiological and neurological changes take place while playing or listening to an instrument have important implications for both music therapy sessions and music education. Knowing how music is perceived and how to apply it in the best way is one of the most important goals of MUSEM.
Prof. Dr. Sevda ASQAROVA
MULTEM Director